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Published byEunice Morrison Modified over 9 years ago
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Based on presentations by French energy ministry, David Suzuki, Tyndall Centre and FEASTA
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An externality is a cost that occurs outside the firm —it falls on neither the producer nor the consumer but a third party, usually the citizen Emissions of carbon dioxide in production and transport are not costed—the ‘free good’ is overused
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Potentially large costs Uncertainty Lack of credibility
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Upstream – with producers – is simpler, e.g. when the fossil fuel comes out of the ground How can we be sure this will be passed on to consumers? Downstream is complex and costly But downstream – i.e. with consumers – does impose individual responsibility Downstream is also educational
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Applying a price to emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), not just carbon dioxide (CO2 does make up 80% of GHGs) Both carbon tax and cap-and-trade system are examples of carbon pricing Polluter pays principle: stop treating the atmosphere as a free dumping ground Including this cost gives an incentive for polluters to invest in using less energy and using cleaner energy (EE and RE): especially strong for heavy industry
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Substitute lower- energy production systems? Cost of fuel may increase three of five times—what about those long supply chains? Increased cost of commuting and long- distance travel
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Allocate permits to companies based on their existing emissions Those who can control these most efficiently will sell surplus to others Market efficiency
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The EU-ETS was set up to: -reduce greenhouse gas emissions emitted in the EU -do so at least cost by allowing trading in the right to emit carbon -keep under a cap set by the Kyoto treaty
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Aimed to: reduce greenhouse gas emissions emitted in the EU do so at least cost by allowing trading in the right to emit carbon keep under a cap set by the Kyoto treaty It did this by: - Issuing a limited number of permits to emit carbon dioxide - giving them to 5,000 of the EU’s biggest emitters - allowing trading between the recipients
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Firms have charged consumers for emission rights they received for free This has increased their profits. The WWF estimates that German utilities will make windfall profits of between €31-€64 billion to 2012 because of allowances. It has also increased the cost of electricity to consumers and businesses Bureaucratic expenses associated with National Allocation Plans, verification and compliance are being paid for by the public
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Meeting the demands of powerful utility companies and acting in the perceived national interest creates a high moral hazard The system is open to corruption at a national level. Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovakia allocated 25% more than their recent emissions. The system is open to corruption at the firm level since company allocations are set by governments. A per capita sharing of permits would be much more transparent, and much fairer
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Whose right is it to emit? Should it be given to an arbitrary group of companies, based on their past emissions? (“grandfathering”) Should it be applied partially ‘downstream’ Should valuable permits worth €170 billion at issue be given away? Should it cover only 43% of EU emissions?
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For most sources of GHG emissions, it is applied as a fuel tax, based on amount of fuel sold e.g. gasoline: We know GHG emissions per litre of gasoline so convert the price per tonne into a price per litre ($10/tonne CO2 = 2.3 cents/litre of gas) Apply to fuel wholesalers Do this for tonnes of coal and cubic feet of nat. gas For process emissions, also applied as a tax but need estimate of GHG emissions
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Advantages Can be implemented quickly (BC: 4 months) Industry and other fuel users know exactly the costs they face now and in near future Disadvantages We are less sure of what emission reductions will result
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http://www.gci.org.uk/contconv/cc.html
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Gtc 5Gtc 10Gtc 15Gtc 20Gtc 18001900200021002200 Atmospheric Concentrations Business as Usual (BAU) Annual Emissions (BAU) Stabilising atmospheric concentrations with C&C 650 850 1050 ppmv 450 250 Contracting emissions with C&C
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Based on 1998 Data
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5Gtc 10Gtc 1900200021001800 2200 0 2 4 6 Gross Emissions Per Capita Emissions USA OECD minus USA Annex 1 (non-OECD) China Rest of World India Annual Per Capita CO 2 Emissions [tonnes per capita per annum] Annual Gross CO 2 Emissions [Gigatonnes per annum]
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Issues entitlements for all the emissions allowed in a year under the EU ’ s Kyoto target or that set by its successor. Gives equal entitlements to each EU resident Recipients then sell their entitlements at the current market rate, via banks or post-offices The entitlements are sold by the banks to companies producing or importing fossil fuels in the EU Each importer or producer needs to buy enough permits to cover the eventual emissions from the fuels they sell.
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Total emissions in the US: 20 t CO2 per capita Non-personal: services, goods and infrastructure--11 t CO2 per capita Personal: home energy and transport-- 9 t CO2 per capita An equitable share to stabilize at 450 ppm – Mayer Hillman ~1 t CO2 per capita
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1- Setting the carbon budget 2- Surrendering carbon units 3- Allocating carbon units
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Individuals receive a free and equal per capita carbon allowance Individuals exceeding their free allowance will have to buy additional carbon units from the market Individuals having surplus carbon units will be able sell or save them
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Smart bills Smart meters Smart receipts Enhanced petrol pumps Carbon-ometers Carbon responsibility in advertising Carbon labels Carbon promises Carbon-rated homes Carbon watchers
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